UND to celebrate Dr. Robert Boyd's 32-plus years of service Friday, Jan. 28 Posted on 1/25/2011

Dr. Robert Boyd, UND vice president of student affairs

Friends, colleagues, students and members of the University and Greater Grand Forks community are invited to join in celebrating the career of Dr. Robert Boyd, vice president for student affairs at the University of North Dakota, on Friday, Jan. 28. The event will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., in the Memorial Union Ballroom, with a program at 2:30 p.m.

Boyd will be leaving his position as the students' vice president and will serve full time as UND's Nickname and Logo Transition Officer. Although he we will continue on as member of the UND family, the celebration commemorates a truly remarkable record of more than 32 years of service to UND as a leader and advocate for higher education and for students. Boyd's commitment to serving students and to their success is well documented through his many achievements, awards and honors

Boyd started his career at UND as the director of extension and professional services. He then became dean of outreach programs, and since 1998 he has been the vice president for student and outreach services (now student affairs). Areas reporting to Boyd included Health and Wellness, Enrollment Management, Student Services, and Outreach Services.

During his time at UND, Boyd has often been the "go-to" leader for UND presidents. In the late 1990s, for example, then President Ken Baker tapped Boyd to run the "virtual" University set up in the immediate aftermath of the Flood of '97. He then asked Boyd to chair the Exigency Task Force on Enrollment to help return UND to its pre-flood headcount. A year later, President Baker turned to Boyd to lead the newly reconstituted Division of Student and Outreach Services. Four UND presidents asked Boyd to lead the recruitment of high-level positions to campus. President Emeritus Charles Kupchella appointed him co-chair of the task group that guided UND in its move to Division I athletics, and he appointed Boyd to chair UND's Quasquicentennial, the celebration of the University's 125th anniversary. Meanwhile, Boyd led his own vice presidential division to a level of excellence that has often been recognized through national awards.

During his career at UND, Boyd has been active in the Grand Forks community as well, a fact that earned him the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce's prestigious Henry Havig Award in 2008. He has been involved in many community organizations, has invested countless hours volunteering on committees, and has served on boards of organizations like the Chamber of Commerce (serving as Board Chair in 1998), the United Way, North Dakota United Methodist Church, Prairie Public Broadcasting, and many more.